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PRO FOOTBALL; Push Comes to Shove, and Strahan Plays On

Michael Strahan beat Eagles tackle Jon Runyan to the inside early in the second quarter Monday night, driving Runyan backward before shoving him aside with a swipe of the right hand. Strahan, it appeared, would have a shot at Donovan McNabb.

Runyan, flailing to stay in the play, popped Strahan in the face mask with his left hand and, as Runyan spun and turned his backside toward Strahan, lifted his right foot and hooked Strahan across the legs, taking him down, all of this directly in front of the referee. Strahan was slightly injured and had to leave the game briefly.

But there was no flag on the play, one of many that have fueled the belief in the Giants' organization that in the first season after Strahan broke the record for sacks, rules do not seem to apply when it comes to stopping him -- as if Strahan has become the Shaquille O'Neal of the N.F.L.

''If anybody watches the games and the tapes, the guy is getting a little mugged,'' said Denny Marcin, the Giants' defensive line coach. ''Some of it's O.K., and some of it's not, but -- wow. You would think the guy would get a little respect because they know he's getting double- and triple-teamed. It's not happening, for sure.''

The Giants were back at practice today, and Coach Jim Fassel began preparing for his former role of play caller. Fassel informed the players on Wednesday that he was relieving offensive coordinator Sean Payton of that responsibility, but did not confirm the change for reporters until today. ''It's been awhile, but it's like riding a bike,'' Fassel said.

Strahan had 22 1/2 sacks last season and this year, he believes, his play is being officiated much differently than in past seasons. ''I came through the middle on one play, and I had one referee tell me, 'I would've called holding if you weren't being double-teamed,' '' Strahan, who has four sacks this season, said. ''I'm still trying to figure that out. Another one said, 'You're supposed to be a superior player.' I just don't get it.''

San Francisco's Scott Gragg, a former Giant, was called for holding Strahan during the season opener, the only such penalty against an offensive linemen opposite Strahan this season. ''I don't know what a hold is any more,'' Strahan said. ''I'm at the point where if I say anything to the refs, it doesn't do anything, because they don't call anything. And they throw God knows how many holding calls on our guys.

''I've gotten used to the fact that you can basically tie my shoelaces together and nothing is called.''

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Strahan sat out a handful of plays after Runyan took him down, receiving some minor treatment on the sideline before returning to battle Runyan. If Runyan's tactics bothered him, it didn't immediately reflect in the way he played: Strahan charged up the field time and again without appearing to take an unnecessary shot at the tackle.

''What you've got to do is fight through that stuff as best you can,'' Marcin said. ''But it gets tough after a while.''

Strahan mused about the possibility of retaliating in forthcoming games. ''But I know if I punched him in the face, I'll get called for it,'' Strahan said, referring to opposing linemen. ''If the offensive guy does it, nothing is called. It's not a fair society, I guess.''

The other Giants linemen review game tape every week, and they say they are amazed at what opposing teams have done against Strahan without being flagged. Matt Mitrione, a reserve defensive tackle, said that on one play, a lineman yanked Strahan to the ground by his shoulder pad, as a running back blocked into the back of Strahan's leg. ''He gets abused,'' Mitrione said.

Kenny Holmes, the Giants' other defensive end, said: ''He's a great player, and people are going to do everything they can to get him out of his game. Cheap shots and a lot the other stuff isn't called, and you can go back and review the film and see all this stuff. Heck, yeah, there's a lot of it.''

Marcin said Strahan has been good about keeping his concentration, rather than being distracted by what he believes are missed calls. ''Once in a while he'll show some frustration out there, go up to the referee and say something,'' Marcin said. ''But for the most part, he knows it's part of the game and part of what's going to happen to him every game. You just go on with it and live with it and hopefully we'll get some things that go our way.''

Receiver IKE HILLIARD will miss the rest of the season because of a dislocated right shoulder, but in a strange way, the injury could increase the chances that he will return to the Giants after becoming a free agent. Hilliard has had major injuries to his neck, right big toe and shoulder that might concern other organizations and limit their bidding for him, but the Giants would welcome back Hilliard enthusiastically so long as club executives feel they can fit his salary within their salary-cap structure. . . . Guards DUSTY ZEIGLER (knee) and RICH SEUBERT (back) missed practice today, and although Seubert will most likely play against Jacksonville, JASON WHITTLE -- who is coming back from a back injury -- could replace Zeigler. TAM HOPKINS is also a possibility.

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A version of this article appears in print on November 1, 2002, on Page D00001 of the National edition with the headline: PRO FOOTBALL; Push Comes to Shove, and Strahan Plays On. Order Reprints|Today's Paper|Subscribe